Is all high % dark chocolate bitter?

[Anonymous]

I wanted to try to be one of those people who eat a square of dark chocolate daily as a treat. I bought a few Trader Joes 72% bars and the taste is unbelievably bitter. I don't eat a lot of chocolate and prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate and I don't like very sweet foods, but this was straight up bitter and inedible.

Any recommendations for one that might be less bitter but doesn't have a lot of sugar?

[Anonymous]

Go to a higher percentage that you like.

[Anonymous]

The percentage dictates the bitterness-- the higher the percentage, the more bitter it is. I'm not sure there's any way around this. I really like dark chocolate with sea salt and almonds.

[Anonymous]

Well first of all, don't throw it away -- take it into your office and someone will eat it! Second, formulations differ. I like Lake Champlain 70 or 72%, which I find at Whole Foods. Or sometimes Giant has some interesting looking brands. You may need to experiment to find what you like. (I am a chocolate nut and like almost anything under 80% but I enjoy some formulations more than others.) Also, a lot of brands label chocolate "dark" when it's 54% or above. 54% is not really dark. It's very sweet. It's good, but it's not dark. So if 54% or so is more what you're used to, anything in the 70s will definitely taste bitter at first. But eat enough and you will likely acclimate! You can also try eating it with tea or coffee, especially unsweetened. The contrast is nice.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it will be bitter. You get used to it eventually. I second the recommendation to eat with tea or coffee. Alternatively you could buy Lilly's dark chocolate sweetened with stevia if you're trying to limit your sugar. I don't like anything with artificial sweetener but I don't notice a difference with Lilly'a chocolates.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I tried it again and I actually liked it this time. It's 73%. Maybe I had eaten something on the sweeter side right before I tried it last time and it was exceedingly bitter by comparison? In any event, I think I'm a convert!!

[Anonymous]

Is it baking chocolate?

[Anonymous]

Yes, all high percentage chocolate will be bitter. That is why it's called bittersweet chocolate.

[Anonymous]

Milk chocolate or bust for me. I can have a small piece snd be satisfied. Delightful.